Lessons In Dancing And Dreaming
by ShipMistress
Summary: Modern College AU: The annual Spring Dance is close, and this year, Astrid is finally going to ask Hiccup to be her date... Fluff with a bit of rom-com-drama to come. ;)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Huh, what's this? A new story? No, not really. This is just a little something that came across my mind while watching kids telly the other day and that I'm using to overcome writer's block. So I have no idea how regular I'll update this. ^^"**

 **What's to know about it? Modern College AU. That's really it, I think. Have fun. ^^**

 **. o O o .**

"I think I'll ask him."

With one eyebrow raised, Heather looked up at her best friend. Astrid sat across from her at the cafeteria table, eye cast straight past Heather and Ruffnut, and Heather didn't need to turn to know where she was looking.

Or rather, at _who_.

"Ask who what?" asked Ruff. Her focus was more on arranging the food on her plate into funny imageries. Heather cocked her head, trying to make sense of it. Was that… a mashed-potato-and-ketchup bonfire where the pea tribe sacrificed the carrot people? Ruff definitely had too much of an imagination.

"Ask Hiccup if he'd go to the spring dance with me."

At that, Ruff now looked up after all, eyes wide in bafflement. "Hiccup?"

Astrid's confidence seemed to crumple a little, which was quite an unusual sight, even for Heather. Usually, there was nothing that could intimidate Astrid Hofferson, always fierce and direct. But as soon as a certain _someone_ was involved, her confidence shrank to the size of an almond.

"You don't think that's a good idea?" she asked, shoulders slumped and head dropping. "You're right. That was a silly thought. I should–"

"You should go over and ask him," Heather intervened before Astrid could completely lose her head. "Because if you're waiting for him to ask you, you two will be tiptoeing around each other until you're both old and grey."

Astrid gave her a pensive look, but then nodded. "You're right. I'll ask him. Right now!"

And with these words, Astrid stood up and walked around the table to the other end where Hiccup sat between Justin and Cami, quietly eating his lunch. She got a few curious glances, from Scott, who kinda _always_ had his eyes on any woman, and from Eret, who grinned and then held out his hand to Dagur, accepting the note Heather's brother handed him grudgingly. These two and their bets.

"Hiccup?" Astrid's voice rang loud and clear, drawing everyone's attention.

Hiccup went rigid in his seat, then slowly turned to look up at the blond valkyrie looming over him.

"Hi. Hi Astrid, hi. Uhm… hi."

Even across the distance of the entire long table, Heather could see the fierce blush spreading across Hiccup's freckled face and all the way down his neck. Heather failed to get what her friend was seeing in him, but she at least had to give him that much; he was adorable.

Astrid bit her lip, a little thrown off guard as she always was when the boy's green eyes were focused on her – or at least when she noticed it. "I-I wanted to ask you–" she began, stammering, "–whether you'd go to the spring dance with me."

As red as his face had been a moment ago, the rate with which it turned white now was a little alarming.

Heather was enjoying the show greatly.

"The spring dance?" he squeaked, voice surely at least an octave higher than usual. "Yes! Y-yes, of course."

For an endless moment, there was a bubble of awkward silence around their table. Nobody dared to say anything, too hyped – or, in Scott's case, shocked – to interrupt their moment.

"Good," Astrid eventually said, throwing an apprehensive glance at the gaping group of their friends around them, and fled. There really was no other way to call it. "I… I'll see you around," she muttered, turned, and left the cafeteria – in the wrong direction for their next class.

 **. o O o .**

 **So, there. Really short chapters inc. As always, I'd be incredibly thankful for comments :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: All right, let's get started for real. I already mentioned at another point: By now, this story is completely written out. We have 11 chapters and one epilogue. I only wrote this story as fun in between my _heavier_ writing, so don't expect anything spectacular. It's just a bit of nonsense rom-com fluff/drama. **

**. o O o .**

 **Chapter 2**

"Oh, God's, what have I done…"

After her embarrassing performance at the cafeteria just now, Astrid had gone to the one place she always went to when she needed a moment of peace and quiet: the small wood behind the college grounds. She leaned against one of the bigger trees, forehead resting against the rough bark, and wished she could turn back time… or at least turn invisible for the rest of her life.

"Whathaveidonewhathaveidonewhathaveidone…" she muttered over and over until she heard footsteps approaching.

"You finally made the first step into the right direction," a familiar voice tore her out of her misery. "And I'm glad you did. Seriously, as funny as watching you two tip-toeing around each other had been in the beginning, after _two freaking years_ it got a bit boring now."

Astrid threw Heather a half-angry and half-annoyed look. This wasn't the first time her friend complained or teased her about her crush, after all. But then she remembered what she'd done just now, and groaned.

"But I did it all wrong!" she complained. Heather frowned, apparently not seeing the problem, so she went on, "I shouldn't have asked him in front of everyone. I didn't give him a choice at all. I should have waited until after classes are over and ask him then. When he's on his way to his bike maybe. Or call him later. Just _anything_ other than–"

"Astrid, calm down!" Heather interrupted her mental breakdown. "Seriously, this was the best you could have done. I know you well enough by now; if you hadn't asked him now, you would have chickened out. _Again!_ Relax. He said yes, so what's your problem? You'll see, you're going to have a wonderful date next week, and if you haven't kissed within a week after that, I'll _make_ you."

Astrid snorted, but didn't object further. Heather was right, after all. She was good at chickening out of asking Hiccup out – she'd done so quite often already. And the idea of actually _kissing_ him made her heart beat faster. But still… there was this one thing that wouldn't stop nagging at her. "But what if he didn't _want_ to say yes? What if he only did so because everyone was watching?"

At that, Heather burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me? Gods, Astrid, when will you finally believe me? Hiccup is so head over heels for you, he'd do _anything_ for you. You'll see, it'll be a fantastic day, and, maybe, also a _spectacular_ night."

Astrid rolled her eyes at that comment and Heather's suggestive smirk, and actively refrained from letting _that_ idea rule her thoughts too much. As if she would directly hop into bed with him on their first date... Not that she hadn't had a few one-night-stands with complete strangers before… And of course, she already _knew_ Hiccup… But still, the idea didn't really suit her.

Either way, thinking about this possibility had served at least one purpose. She regarded her upcoming supposed-to-be date with one lanky freckled dork with a little more optimism.

 **. o O o .**

"Erm… what just happened?" Hiccup muttered, following Heather with his eyes as she followed Astrid out of the cafeteria and everybody else filed out too.

Cami slapped him on the back as they, too, picked up their bags to go to their next class. "Oh, what an epic moment," she cackled. "On the same level as Amy Pond's farewell to the Doctor and Jack Sparrow giving up becoming the Captain of the Flying Dutchman. Pure awesomeness!"

"But… those were all _sad_ moments," Justin contradicted. "And this was… it was just…"

"The saddest moment of the last two years," Cami went on, cheerfully and in total contrast to her words. "It means my favourite real-life soap opera is going to come to an end. Really a shame. And just because: those moments might have been sad, but they were still moments of _love_."

Justin rolled his eyes, but Hiccup barely registered their bantering anyway. "Oh Gods… what just _happened?"_ he asked again, a little more frantic now. His head whipped around from Cami's wide grin to Justin's encouraging smile.

"Astrid asked you out for the spring dance. And you accepted," Justin said, confirming what Hiccup _thought_ had happened. So it hadn't been a dream after all. For a short second, a wide grin started to spread across his face and his heart began to beat faster with joy. But then, cold realisation hit him.

"But… but I can't dance." He indicated toward his left leg, to the prosthetic hidden beneath clothes and shoes. "I'll just stumble and embarrass her and she'll hate me, and then I might as well bury myself in a deep hole, because if she hates me, I don't think I could go on and who cares anyway, I'm just a loser and–"

"–and she knows that."

Slumping, Hiccup dropped his head at Cami's words. "You're right… she knows I'm a loser. I guess she only asked because she lost a bet or something."

"Well done, Cami," Justin muttered.

"Oh, don't be so overly dramatic," Cami groaned, the way she rolled her eyes audible in her voice. "What I meant is, Astrid knows about your leg. We've all been to clubs or the swimming pool together often enough, after all. She knows you're not the most graceful dancer on Midgard. And she asked you anyway, because she likes you. And I know I've been telling you this for quite some time now, but who knows. Maybe you'll even believe me now. _She likes you!"_

Hiccup glanced at Justin, but he just shrugged. "She does, even if you don't believe us. Besides, pulling a prank like fake-inviting someone? Not her style."

Hiccup nodded, swallowing. "You're right, she wouldn't do something like that." He paused, chewing his lip, and then gave a small nod. "Okay, when is this spring dance anyway? Maybe… maybe I can _learn_ how to dance until then?" Hopefully, he glanced at Cami.

"Erm, let's see." Justin tilted his head, thinking. "I think it's someday next week. I didn't pay much attention since I didn't plan on going, but–"

"NEXT WEEK?" Hiccup shrieked. "Oh, Gods… I'm dead… I can't possibly learn how to dance until next week, that's…" he shook his head in desperation. "When exactly? Maybe I can rightfully call it off because I'm busy? There's that group meeting for my Engineering class Thursday night, after all. I can't possibly call that off."

"No, you won't get out of it that easily, Hic," Cami singsonged cheerfully. When Hiccup and Justin gave her questioning looks, she lifted her arms above her head, stretching. Then, with a devious grin, she nodded at a poster sticking to the wall beside them. "The dance is exactly in one week. Next Tuesday. Tuesday, the 30th May."

"30th May?" Groaning, Hiccup dropped his head. "I'm so dead..."

Confused, Justin looked from Hiccup where he'd stopped walking a step or three behind them to Cami who was cackling like a maniac. "Why is that day special?"

Cami took a moment to gleefully enjoy Hiccup's whimpering. The boy was an engineering- and dragon- geek, his calm and logic mind working beyond her understanding – except it came to a certain girl. And that fact was immensely entertaining to Cami.

"That day is special," she explained, "because he can't turn her down on that day." Upon Justin's still confused expression, she added, "It's her birthday."

 **. o O o .**

 **As always, comments are very welcome ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I'm very happy you all seem to like this little bit on nonesense so much :) I had fun writing it, too. And also _drawing_ the cover art... If one wants to call that crawing xD **

**As for an update schedule... I think I'm going to upload one chapter every two or three days.**

 **. o O o .**

 **Chapter 3**

"You've got to help me!"

Very slowly, Cami turned and gave Hiccup a purposefully puzzled look. His approach didn't come unexpected, but she enjoyed making him squirm quite a bit. They'd been friends since nursery, after all. Surely that entitled her to tease him a bit every now and then, right? Or, maybe, occasionally, even a bit _more_. "How could I possibly help you?" she asked artlessly. "You're smarter than me by half a galaxy, at the very least. If anything, you've got to help _me_ with that biology essay for next week."

There was a hint of panic in his eyes, and Cami couldn't help but grin. Winding him up was simply too much fun.

"You've got to teach me how to dance," he all but whined. "I know that I'm a hopeless case, but _please_. I… I'll _write_ that essay for you, if only you help me to not be a complete embarrassment. Please, Cami. I know it's a lot to ask, but I don't know what to do."

Oh, Loki… the boy was a treasure. Cami pretended to think about his offer, then shook her head. "No chance, Hiccup," she replied, wallowing in his moment of desperation, but then decided to let him off the hook. "My essay is due to Wednesday morning, and when you're serious in wanting to learn how to dance until Tuesday night, you won't have time to write one of your thorough essays for me." He looked stunned which, as Cami had to admit, was almost equally enjoyable as his panic before. "How about you come over to my place after classes? You can get a pizza from Carlo's and I'll show you the basics. Then we can continue tomorrow and on the weekend at my aunt's school. She'll be delighted to hear you're _finally_ learning how to dance."

For a moment, Hiccup just gaped at her, stunned. But then a wide grin spread across his face, and he nodded. "You're the best, Cami!" he exclaimed, and threw his arms around her in a friendly hug. It was a little awkward with him being almost two heads taller than her, but who cared.

"I know, I know. Just remember to order extra cheese on the pizza, okay?"

Hiccup nodded, then dashed off to his next class. Cami gazed after him with a broad grin, then shook her head and headed to her own class.

She'd been surprised that it had taken him almost two days before he'd made up his mind and asked for her help. Dancing was her area of expertise, after all. Her aunt Mala led their family's dancing school, for Odin's sake, and while Cami was more interested in street dance than in classical dancing, she'd still imbibed the basic steps of waltz and rumba from her infancy.

When he came over that night, promised pizza in one hand and a bag full of other treats in his other, he looked a lot more nervous than in the morning.

"And you really think I can do this?" he asked self-consciously, absently nudging against one leg of her desk with his good foot. "I mean, there's a reason why my clumsiness is kinda a running gag by now. And with my leg, I'll never be a _good_ dancer anyway, so why do I even bother. Justin was wrong in encouraging me. I shouldn't even... I... maybe I should just move to another city and change college so that I'll never have to see anyone ever again. Maybe even change my name… Yes, that's it, I'll–"

"You'll stay," Cami interrupted him resolutely.

Hiccup shrank in a little more on himself, but didn't say any more. Sighing, Cami sat down next to him at the edge of her bed. It wasn't weird or awkward to have him sit there, not with how long they knew each other.

"And now, you'll listen. I'll happily say it again. Astrid asked _you._ She knows about your leg and your clumsiness and every other point you might want to bring up. And she asked you anyway. She doesn't expect you to be a perfect dancing partner. She just wanted to go there _with you_. You don't have to become the perfect dancer. But if you're willing to try, the basics shouldn't be a problem, and I'm sure she'll appreciate your effort."

Hiccup gulped, threw her a cautious glance, and then nodded. "Okay. I'll try. And if I fail, you'll cover up for me when I go into hiding."

"Sure, whatever," Cami agreed, rolling her eyes at his dramatic antics. "But let's start directly, then take a break to eat, and then, maybe, try again, all right?"

Hiccup didn't resist any further and followed her instructions with the same concentration he held when drawing yet another dragon or repairing parts of his motorbike. Cami reckoned that he'd have way more trouble casually laying his hand on Astrid's waist than on hers, but, well, she would only be able to prepare him so much.

But, despite her comment about how sad she was to _see her soap opera come to an end_ the other day… she _wanted_ it to come to an end, too. Hiccup had been pining for Astrid since the first day they'd all met, and from what Cami had seen, Astrid was doing little better. That it had taken them this long to make the first step was baffling enough, no need to make it any more complicated. Yes, she would do whatever she could to help her friend get the girl of his dreams.

 **. o O o .**

 **There you go, a short one. Future chapters are going to be a bit longer than this. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: What's this, Ship, another update already? Yes. Because I'm horrible. And starving for feedback, haha. Your win, I guess ;)**

 **. o O o .**

 **Chapter 4**

Hiccup knew that he was damn lucky to have Cami as his friend. From Thursday night, when she gave him his first instructions, up to Monday night he practically spent every bit of free time he had with her. At first, she showed him where to place his hand – on his partner's back, not the waist or even lower – and how to hold their hand, showed him a couple of basic steps, and didn't seem to get tired of practising them with him. During the weekend then, they were mostly at Cami's aunt Mala's dancing school where the stern woman made him practise with others of her pupils too – so that he wouldn't get _too_ accustomed to dancing with only Cami, she commented – and gently but firmly corrected him whenever she thought it would help him improve instead of discourage him.

"I think you're ready for your date, Hiccup," Mala commented Monday afternoon.

Hiccup had already showered and changed back into casual clothes, and sat at one of the tables to the side of the room. Cami still had training with her street dance group, so he'd retrieved his books from his bag as he waited for her to be ready to go. In between all this additional training, he still had to do his regular homework too, after all, plus the preparation for his engineering group meeting. But that was fine. It gave him breaks from the unfamiliar physical activity, and it meant that he'd gotten around to help Cami with her biology essay after all. But Mala's words efficiently tore him away from thinking about engines.

"Erm… da-date?" he stammered as he glanced up at the tall woman. "W-what makes you think I have a date?"

Mala gave him a deadpan look. "Hiccup, I have been trying to get you to take dancing lessons to improve your balance since you had that accident all those years ago–" she nodded at his leg, "–and I know that Cami has tried to persuade you too. Now, you certainly do not have to tell me, but your sudden change of mind coinciding with the grand spring dance tomorrow…" she trailed off, suggestively, and Hiccup dropped his head. It really was that obvious, wasn't it? Especially for someone like Mala who'd known him practically for all his life.

But then, it wasn't really his intention to keep this date a secret anyway. Hel, he'd even gotten a birthday present for Astrid, one that probably was a bit too expensive for _just a friend_.

"You're right," he mumbled sheepishly. He paused, self-consciously, before he went on, "A-and you think I'll be doing okay?" Carefully, he glanced up to interpret Mala's expression instead of just her words. But the small but warm smile playing around her lips seemed to be genuine.

"I think you will," she replied. "You learned a lot during the last days, and I would say you made good progress, all things considered. I mean, you probably would not be able to pull off an impressive Viennese waltz performance, but then, you don't have to. All you need to do is move with the music, don't be so shy when you place your hands on your partner's back, and stick to slow dances."

"Which would suit the purpose best anyway," came Cami's dry comment from behind them. "Although, I bet she won't notice anything beyond his _dreamy green eyes_ anyway _._ " She laughed, and nudged her aunt's shoulder. "I need to tell you the whole story one day, Mala. It's better than any rom-com. The way these two were tip-toeing around each other for two years now..."

"Sounds like a night of wine and laughter," Mala replied with a sly smile, and Hiccup dropped his head with a low groan and burning cheeks. Despite being her aunt, Mala wasn't _that_ much older than them, and Cami and Mala were close, he knew that well enough. He had no doubts that this planned night of them gossiping about his so far non-existent love life would actually happen.

"Are you ready to go?" he rather obviously changed the topic, glancing at Cami and the packed bag in her hand.

She chuckled as did Mala. "Sure," she winked. "Let's head home and make sure you're getting enough sleep before your _big day_ tomorrow." On their way out, they could still hear Mala chuckling.

Hiccup drove Cami home on his bike as he often did, the spare helmet practically always in the small compartment beneath the seat. Once they reached her home, he went out of his way and even accompanied her to the entrance door instead of simply waving her goodbye from his bike. Cami gave him a curious look, but there was something he wanted to say, and he needed a few moments to form the right words in his mind.

"Cami," he began when they'd reached the door. "I… I wanted to thank you. For your help I mean."

"Which help exactly?" she asked with a cheeky grin. "The dancing lessons or keeping you from going crazy with nerves?"

"Heh… both?" he laughed shakily. "Gods, I'm so happy you're here, Cami. Honestly, I can't imagine what I'd do without you."

At that, Cami laughed. "I know, I know," she chirped, winking playfully. "You'd be lost without me. But don't worry, I'll always be here for you."

Hiccup couldn't help himself and threw his arms around her in an enthusiastic hug. "Thank you so much!" he mumbled. "Remind me to invite you to a pizza if tomorrow really goes as well as you keep saying."

"Extra cheese," she reminded him smugly. "And it _will_ go smoothly, don't you worry. Now, off with you, and get some sleep. See you tomorrow." She gave him a friendly peck on the cheek, as she sometimes did when she was in a good mood.

"See you tomorrow then," Hiccup chuckled fondly, waved her goodbye and returned to his bike.

But when he bent to stow away the second helmet into its place, he thought he saw something moving in the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw a shadowy figure disappearing around a corner, a figure with a familiar golden braid flapping behind her.

Hiccup frowned, but then shook his head, laughing quietly at himself. Was he already seeing things now? Was he so eager for the next day, so looking forward to his date with Astrid, that he imagined her appearing at the oddest places? It surely wouldn't surprise him; he was thinking about her often enough. All the time, actually.

He couldn't even say what exactly it was about her. Sure, she was beautiful with her sea blue eyes and golden hair, with her toned body and perfectly proportioned curves. But it wasn't just that, he insisted, he wasn't like Scott who only cared about how a girl _looked._ She was so much more, that spark of humour in her eyes when he made a sarcastic comment, how earnest and ambitious she got when it came to her classes and archery, the dreamy look she got when playing her guitar, as if she was somewhere else entirely. She was funny and kind, fascinating. And Hiccup was eager to get to know her better than just on the _friends_ -level of the past two years.

He threw one last glance in the direction where the shadowy figure had disappeared. Then he shrugged, and with a faint smile on his lips, he put his helmet on and headed home, anticipation for the next day glowing warmly in his chest.

 **. o O o .**

 **duh~duh~duuhh...**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN** : **I told you there'd be some rom-com drama ;) And angsty? No, I wouldn't call this story angsty. At least not compared to what I normally write xD But there _will_ be a bit tension, because otherwise, it would be a little boring...**

 **. o O** **o .**

 **Chapter 5**

Ever since she blurted out that question at that inept moment last Tuesday, Astrid's head was an absolute mess. She didn't see Hiccup that day again, but that was probably good. It meant she couldn't continue to make a fool of herself.

On Wednesday, they only met shortly with everyone else in the cafeteria. But since Ruff and Tuff were being their usual selves trying to outdo each other with their food constructions, there was not a single moment to exchange any words or even have a quiet conversation. She and Hiccup barely managed to share a brief and awkward smile before everyone needed to hurry to their next class.

Thursday and Friday were a bit calmer then, and although they didn't get the chance to talk – and to be honest didn't have the _courage_ to do so either – the flushed smile he threw her every now and then and how excited he looked made her heart flutter.

Maybe Heather was right. Maybe he really did like her, and was waiting for the spring dance with the same sense of anticipation as she did.

The weekend seemed to last _endlessly_. Astrid's mood constantly changed from giddy excitement to something close to panic and back again, and without Heather, she probably would have lost her mind.

"We're going shopping," Heather announced on Sunday morning. "I know you'd planned on wearing your favourite red dress, but I can't stand watching you being all squirrelly all day."

At first, Astrid wasn't too sold on spending her well-earned money – she worked part-time as a waitress in a cafe – on a new dress when she already had one that perfectly suited her case. But she agreed to go nonetheless, and when Heather pulled one dress off the rack to show it to her – deep blue with only one strap over the left shoulder, tight on the breast and waist, and with a beautifully flowing skirt – she was instantly sold. It was a gorgeous dress, brought out her eyes as Heather commented, and Astrid had to secretly agree. This _date_ with Hiccup felt special enough to rectify spending money for new clothes.

On Monday then, the anticipation for the next day reached nearly crazy heights. It was the one day where she and Hiccup actually had one class together, Literature with Professor Grimborn. But although it usually was a subject Astrid enjoyed greatly, she was hardly able to pay attention today. She either had her eyes on Hiccup or firmly on her hands when he looked up to gaze at her in return. It was complete madness, and not even Heather's teasing comments were able to annoy her.

After their last class, they walked to Heather's car – she would drop Astrid at the archery range as usual – and as so often on those occasions walked past Hiccup and his bike. He was just done putting on his riding jacket, the heavy helmet still resting on his bike's seat, and as always the sight gave Astrid weak legs. Hiccup looked always good, but in his black riding leathers? He looked _delicious_. And, oh, what would she give to join him on his bike... To wrap her arms around him, to feel his warmth and the speed as he drove her whenever he wanted.

"Bye, Hiccup," Heather said in passing, her wide grin practically audible.

Hiccup turned and glanced at Heather at her words, but only a second later, his eyes were on Astrid instead. "Bye," he said too, and his lips stretched into his trademark lopsided smile. "See you tomorrow."

Astrid sucked in a breath, his gleaming eyes on her once more rendering her unable to think. "Yeah, tomorrow," she breathed, staring at him with wide eyes. "Bye, Hiccup." They shared another smile, a moment that seemed to call for singing animals dancing around them before Heather dragged her on.

"Oh, Freya," she muttered, and shook her head, a tone of faint amusement in her voice. "I think the rest of us will need to carry around water guns at any time for a couple of weeks, just to get you two to cool down every now and then."

"Haha, funny," Astrid deadpanned, and rolled her eyes. As if she and Hiccup exchanging smiles was _that_ bad. Although…

Once again, the idea of kissing Hiccup – the image that Heather's comments had conjured up the other day – came to her mind. And she had to admit that she wasn't against it. Not at all!

How would it feel to kiss those lips that were so quick to pull into a crooked smile? Would his hair feel as silky as it looked when she buried her hands in it?

All day, her mind added more and more options to the scenario. Would he make the first move or would he be too shy and wait for her to kiss him? Would he be passionate or sensual? Would he be quiet? Would it really happen tomorrow, on their first date, or rather someday later? Or would they, maybe, do even _more_ than just kissing? Astrid surely wasn't averse to that idea of at least _a little_ more. It would make for a good foundation for later dates...

In any way, she was finally hopeful that there would _be_ later dates.

"Ouch!" Astrid cried out, pain tearing her out of her daydreams. The bowstring had slipped between her fingers and hit her elbow before she'd even really aimed. Grimacing slightly, she rubbed her arm. It stung, but truth be told, even this – making a mistake, _failing_ – wasn't able to dampen her mood. Not today.

"Where's your concentration today, Astrid?" Atali, her trainer, frowned at her target in the distance. "You certainly had better days already," she reprimanded gently. "Is something bothering you? You need a clear head to hit your target. All other thoughts should stay outside."

Sighing, Astrid laid her bow onto a sideboard and flexed her fingers to relax them. "I know, Atali. And I'm sorry. But no, there's nothing… _bothering_ me, not really." She couldn't help but grin as thoughts about the spring dance tomorrow and Hiccup once more invaded her mind. "Quite the opposite, actually."

"Oh?" Atali's eyebrow rose and she smirked. "Well, _that_ smile already says enough. And don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see you this happy. But if you can't concentrate then you shouldn't be practising. You'll only hurt yourself."

Wincing, Astrid placed her hand over the treacherous red mark on her arm. She'd meant to hide it, but, of course, the motion only drew Atali's attention.

"Go home, Astrid," she sighed, smiling faintly. "I figure you'll need a good night's sleep before the spring dance anyway. Go home, rest, have fun tomorrow, and I'll see you again on Thursday for the preparation for the tournament."

Astrid didn't need to be told this twice. She loved her archery training, but Atali was right; her training today hadn't been exactly fruitful. So she gladly took her trainer's advice, packed her things, and was on her way home only minutes later.

Once more, she couldn't think of anything but Hiccup and the upcoming day, and she barely paid any attention to her surroundings. After walking this way home to her uncle's house, where she lived in his spare rooms on the upper floor since she'd started college two years ago, she knew this way well enough, after all. So when she heard Hiccup's voice, her first thought was that she had to be imagining it. But _what_ he said quickly put an end to that.

"Gods, I'm so happy you're here, Cami. Honestly, I can't imagine what I'd do without you."

The words cut into her thoughts and her heart like a knife. Cami? Hiccup was with _Cami?_ They always insisted on just being friends when the occasional teasing comment came up, but… but… With one quick step, Astrid hid behind a nearby tree. She didn't want them to notice her.

Cami's true and loud laughter rang through the night. It was a sound Astrid enjoyed under different circumstances as it was quite contagious and usually meant a lot of fun. But right now, it only served to make her sick.

"I know, I know. You'd be lost without me," she chirped. "But don't worry, I'll always be here for you."

Astrid felt her heart drop to her stomach. So she'd misread the signs after all? Despite her better judgement, she leaned around the tree, and looked in the direction of their voices. She _had_ to see… But when she spotted them, she wished she hadn't.

Hiccup and Cami stood in front of the closest house, and Astrid dimly remembered that it belonged to Cami's family. But they didn't just _stand_ there. They were entangled in a tight embrace, Hiccup all but wrapped around Cami, and Astrid quickly went back into hiding. She could definitely have forgone that image tonight. They exchanged more words, but quieter now, whispering. Then there was the unmistakable smacking sound of a kiss, and something inside Astrid died.

"See you tomorrow then," Hiccup chuckled, now louder again, and Astrid knew only one way to react.

Before Hiccup had the time to reach the walkway where he would undoubtedly have spotted her eavesdropping, she ran. She ran away, as fast as she could, and barely even noticed the tears running down her cheeks.

 **. o O** **o .**

 **Of course, there's a misunderstanding... But no, Astrid is no stalker xD**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Yes, this is a silly trashy rom-com drama. It even says so in the discreption. If you can't read that and get angry for getting exactly what it says at the front... well, not my problem ;) Aside from that, thank you for the nice and funny comments. ;)**

 **. o O o .**

 **Chapter 6**

Astrid barely remembered how she'd made it home, how her uncle had called a greeting as she entered, or how she must have given him some incomprehensible answer as she hurried past him and up the stairs. All she remembered was lying on her bed for what must have been hours, staring at the ceiling in her room, as tears ran freely down her cheeks.

She'd been so stupid. She'd tricked herself into believing that Hiccup might have a crush on her, just like she had on him, that his warm smiles every now and then meant more than just shy friendliness. That his obvious closeness to a fiery girl like Cami was nothing but friendship. So so stupid… He was _always_ with Cami, after all. Why was is so surprising that he was also _with_ Cami? And he'd really only agreed to her asking him because she'd taken him by surprise in front of everyone.

The same thoughts turned around in her head over and over until her phone buzzed with the familiar tune that indicated it was Heather calling.

 _"Happy birthday!"_ she singsonged through the connection, confusing Astrid a bit. Was it really midnight already?

"Thanks," she replied with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

There was a short pause before Heather continued. _"Is everything all right, babe? You don't sound so well."_

Astrid had to actively fight down the noise she wanted to make at that, something between hysterical laughter and frantic sobbing. "Yeah, I'm okay," she lied. She didn't feel like talking, not yet. But Heather knew her too well.

 _"You don't_ sound _okay,"_ she insisted. _"At all. What's up?"_

Astrid squeezed her eyes shut, and considered to simply hang up. But Heather was her best friend and deserved better than that. "Okay, you're right. I… Actually, I'm feeling a little sick." Not a lie, technically, even if the reason was something else than Heather was thinking.

 _"Oh no, missy, don't you dare. You're_ not _getting out of finally having this date by playing sick. If I have to then I'll come over and drag you to the dance myself."_

A weak smile tugged at Astrid's lips. She had no doubts that Heather would actually do that. "I'm not _chickening out_ , okay? I promise. But I'm really not feeling well, so I probably won't come to college tomorrow. Actually, I think I really need to sleep now. Good night, Heather. See you." She hung up, having heard Heather's _"See you,"_ , but not giving her the chance to pry further.

Sighing heavily, Astrid plugged in her phone on her bedside table and turned off the light, before she tried to sleep and to not think about the burning hole in her chest too much.

 **. o O o .**

With a light frown, Heather glanced at her phone after Astrid had hung up on her. So, she was _sick?_ Sure she was... Snorting in light amusement, Heather shook her head and placed the phone on her bedside table to charge.

It was late and she had to get enough sleep for tomorrow. But if Astrid thought she could duck out of her date just like that, then she was wrong. Heather knew just how head over heels her friend was for the lanky freckled boy, and no amount of stage-fright would keep her from _finally_ going on a date with him. Heather wouldn't let that happen.

The next morning came too soon for her taste, but it couldn't be helped. Even with the spring dance tonight and classes being cancelled tomorrow because of it, today was still a normal college day. Heather went through her usual morning routine without really worrying over Astrid and her rom-com drama. Sure, Astrid was good at _chickening out_ , as she'd called it herself, but Heather was still sure that everything would work out in the end.

So she was all the more surprised when she arrived at her first class – a little late, as so often – and found that Astrid's usual seat next to hers was empty.

 _Oh, I can't believe it_ , she thought to herself, rolling her eyes, and already made a plan how to coax her best friend to her date later should she insist on being an idiot. A part of her kept hoping that Astrid would make up her mind and show up after all, to a later class at least. But when she didn't even come to their usual lunch gathering, even Heather had to accept the truth. Apparently, Astrid seriously planned to play sick today.

Watching Hiccup during lunch was a little heartbreaking. He'd been all excited and nervous when Heather had entered the cafeteria, his eyes searching the entrance behind her. But when it became clear to him too that Astrid wasn't coming, he visibly slumped down in his seat, the small box with a bow in his hand vanishing into his bag.

Heather's heart missed a small beat as Cami threw her a confused and questioning look, clearly just as concerned for her friend's date as Heather was for Astrid's. But all Heather could do in response was give a noncommittal shrug. Odin, how hard could it be to play matchmaker for a friend?

Shaking her head at Astrid's stubbornness, Heather pulled out her phone and typed, _'You're horrible, do you know that? You're breaking the poor boy's heart. You better show up later at the dance, or I'll come and drag you there myself.'_

For the rest of their lunch break and during the last two classes she had afterwards, Heather kept checking her phone for a response from Astrid. The ongoing lack of any message gave her a bad feeling. Was it possible that Astrid was _really_ sick? Was she maybe puking her guts out? Or was she in bed, asleep with a fever? It was _possible_ , after all. Highly unlikely, but possible.

Worried, Heather opted to drop by at where Astrid lived in her uncle's house to check on her, when she finally got a response after all – and stared at the angry message for at least two minutes straight.

 _Maybe you're right and I am horrible. But I'm pretty sure I won't 'break his heart' by not showing up to that stupid dance. If you want, tell him to have fun without me, because I'm sure as Helheim not coming!_

 **. o O o .**

 **I think... someone's been having a bad day...**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Thank you for the friendly comments! :) And yes, it's just a short story. 11 chapters total + one epilogue.**

 **. o O o .**

Astrid lay curled up into a ball on her bed, wrapped in at least three blankets and surrounded by an endless sea of used tissues. In the background, the playlist with her favourite music was playing on her stereo, but she wasn't really paying it any mind. Usually, music always served to make her feel better, but today, not even that worked.

How had this happened? How had this day, a day that had been supposed to be her _lucky day_ , the best day ever, turned into this… complete _failure?_ And why did that had to happen on her _birthday_ , for Odin's sake? It wasn't fair. _Life_ wasn't fair!

A new wave of sobs shook her body at that thought, even as she fought to keep any noises to a minimum. Uncle Finn hadn't checked on her in a while, obviously unused to and uncomfortable with dealing with crying girls, but any too loud sobs could summon him back, and Astrid could definitely forego that. He couldn't help her anyway except bringing her a new box of tissues every now and then.

She couldn't say for how long she lay there. She had lost all sense of time after crying through half of the night and then sleeping nearly until noon. At that moment, she'd been grateful to not live with her mother anymore. Not that she had a problem with her mum, but Brenna Hofferson surely would have first made a scene for her to ditch college for no good reason, and then wouldn't have left her in peace until she knew what upset her daughter so much. Living with Uncle Finn was much easier. Not just because he lived so much closer to her dream college, but also because he gave her the space she needed when she asked for it.

Except for right now…

There was a knock on her door first, before his head poked through the opening. "Astrid, lass? How are you doing?"

What a stupid question. What did he _think_ how she was doing? "I'm fine," she grumbled, then sighed. He was only worried for her, she reminded herself. "Thanks."

"Good." Finn sounded a little sheepish. "Because, well, there's someone here for you."

Astrid paused, then sat up, bewildered. Someone was here for her? Who? All her friends would be busy getting ready for the dance by now. Unless it was Hiccup who came to pick her up? That… would be a really cute gesture, except that she didn't want to see him and _might_ scratch out his eyes if he were to see her like this. She didn't want to be his pity-date when he wanted to be with someone else. But, luckily, it wasn't Hiccup.

"Oh Gods, Astrid!" Heather exclaimed the moment she pushed past Finn into her room and saw her. "What in Freya's name happened?"

"I'll leave you to it then," Finn muttered, and pulled the door closed behind him. Astrid grimaced; she wished her uncle would have taken her friend with him.

"Nothing happened," Astrid sighed, turning tired eyes away from Heather. "I just realised what an enormous idiot I've been."

With a snort, Heather pushed aside some of the tissues to make space for herself to sit. "You really are an idiot, no argument there. You should have seen Hiccup today when he realised you wouldn't show up for lunch. He was so sad, like a kicked puppy. And all just because you don't have the nerves to–"

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure he was _devastated!"_ Astrid interrupted her bitterly. "The poor boy. But don't worry, I'm sure he will quickly find comfort; Cami will see to that." Once again, the image of Hiccup and Cami entangled in a tight embrace rose in her mind's eye. It made her squeeze her eyes shut in the pointless hope that would make the picture go away.

"Cami?" Heather inquired, disbelievingly. "You think he's with Cami? Oh, honestly, Astrid, that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard. You know perfectly well that they're just friends. I mean–"

"But I've _seen_ them!" Astrid cried, and her outburst had Heather shut up in an instant.

There was a moment or three of utter silence before the words seemed to have sunk in and Heather frowned. "You… _what?!_ No, that can't be true, Cami's not… I mean, they're just friends. Have been since nursery. They aren't interested in each other romantically; why would they keep it a secret if it were otherwise?" She shook her head, bewilderment written all over her face. "Tell me _what_ you've seen."

Exhaling a deep and tired breath, Astrid looked at her friend again. "I saw them last night," she began her explanation. "They stood in front of her house and were just bidding their farewell. I saw how they embraced each other, and I heard how he said something about how happy she makes him and how he can't imagine living without her. And then they kissed… Gods, Heather, I've been so stupid to think…" She trailed off as a new wave of tears welled up in her eyes, and reached for the tissue box. Why, oh why had she ever deluded herself into believing he could be interested in her?

But she would get over him. She was Astrid Hofferson, after all. She wouldn't drown in sorrow for the rest of her life just because some stupid guy she'd had a crush on didn't return her feelings. She would give herself this one day of crying her heart out, and tomorrow she would be back on top. She would forget him, would ignore him. She would focus on her education and her sports. There was this archery tournament in two weeks, after all. Just the right thing to keep her occupied enough to not think about… about those _stupid_ green eyes, that _stupid_ crooked smile, and those stupid sassy comments. About that stupid face with its freckles and the chiselled jaw, those stupid deft hands that so easily worked on all kinds of mechanisms, and… and…

Another sob tore itself from her throat. Just this one day…

"I can't believe that," Heather stated, finally rising from her stupor.

Under different circumstances, Astrid would have gladly taken the challenge her friend offered by indirectly accusing her of lying, would have debated and argued. But today, she didn't have the energy for that, so she simply gazed at her with tired empty eyes.

"No!" Heather insisted. "You can ask every single one of our friends; if you told them this story, they'd only laugh about it, without exception. Okay, maybe Scott would cry at the idea of his cousin having had a girlfriend for all this time, but that's not the point." She scooted closer to Astrid and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come with me to the dance. Let's ask them. I'm absolutely certain that he only has eyes for you. And… and even _if_ it were otherwise, he certainly wouldn't be with _Cami_ of all people _._ Believe me, I'm pretty sure that, whatever you've seen, it wasn't what you thought."

Grimacing, Astrid shrugged Heather's hand off her shoulder. "No. I'm not going there. I'm certainly not embarrassing myself by being that annoying girl that can't take a hint. Do what you want, but leave me out of this." She sat down on her bed and, reaching for her trusted guitar to channel her emotions, turned her back on her friend. "See you tomorrow."

Heather didn't leave right away. Astrid could hear her shuffle and fidget. But in the end, she thankfully left without another word.

 **. o O o .**

 **Well... that didn't go so well now did it? :|**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN** **: Huh... this updated took a bit longer, sorry. Had a few other updates to make first and then the holidays were pretty busy here.  
**

 **. o O o .**

 **Chapter 8**

Heather knew Astrid well. She knew that Astrid was ambitious, and that it pleased her to be successful, especially when she'd worked hard to earn that success. She knew that Astrid was honest, and would never spread lies or make things up just to have an excuse for anything. And she knew that Astrid was stubborn. Once she'd made up her mind and made a decision, that decision couldn't be changed easily.

And so she left when Astrid didn't want to talk or reason anymore.

But that didn't mean that she would give up just like that. The idea of Hiccup and Cami being a couple was… was _ridiculous!_ Surely, Heather couldn't have been _that_ wrong in interpreting the signs… right?

Right! All this was just a misunderstanding, it _had_ to be. And therefore, it could be solved.

Once back in her car, Heather pondered over what to do for a few minutes, then drove to where the spring dance was held – a remodelled barn that had once belonged to the mayor's family and now regularly served as location for all kinds of events. Luckily, she'd gotten ready _before_ looking after Astrid, so her appearance already suited the occasion, even as she didn't feel like partying and dancing at all. Hiccup and Cami? That simply couldn't be true…

Once she'd entered the main dance hall, her eyes wandered searchingly over the crowd. She didn't expect to be successful by scanning the dancing couples, and one quick glance proved her right. The only ones of their friends who were dancing were Dagur and Eret, as always earning some funny looks and not caring a bit, and Scott and Ruff, who probably had accepted his invitation out of a mixture of pity and masochistic curiosity. So Heather went on, letting her eyes wander over the people standing near the food tables or sitting around the many tables all over the room until she finally spotted who she was looking for.

Hiccup and Cami stood to the side of the room, apparently engrossed in a conversation. Justin, who usually was an inseparable part of their tight group, was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn't really surprising. An event like this wasn't exactly his taste, and under normal circumstances, not even Hiccup would show up here. It didn't mean anything that it was only these two standing alone there…

Swallowing and her eyes firmly on the wild blonde in her bright red dress and the dorky brunette with an elegant jacket – that admittedly suited him quite nicely – Heather weaved her way through the crowd toward them. Cami was the first to spot her as she approached, and a mischievous gleam filled her eyes that made Heather gulp. She nudged Hiccup and nodded toward her, and there was an undeniably hopeful look on his face before it dulled visibly once he saw her approaching them alone.

"Hey, Heather," Cami greeted her with a bright grin. "Where's your friend? I know someone who's getting a little nervous." Hiccup whimpered at her words, throwing Cami a pleading look. But it hadn't taken those words to make his state of mind obvious. He was constantly shifting his weight from one uneven foot to the other, and fiddled with something in his hands, the same small box she'd seen him holding during lunch already, as it seemed. It wouldn't have needed Cami pointing it out to see that he was a mental wreck. So truthfully answering Cami's question – and crushing his hopes by doing so – felt almost cruel.

"She… she's not coming," Heather replied hesitantly, and decided to keep her eyes on Cami for this conversation. She didn't need to see how Hiccup's expression fell in disappointment and hurt.

Cami, however, grew suddenly very serious, even scarily so. "Why?" she asked in a cool voice that made Heather gulp again – even though for another reason this time.

But Heather wouldn't let herself be intimidated, not when it was about her best friend. Not even by Cami. "She said she saw you two last night," she said in as firm a voice as she could muster. She looked carefully for some form of reaction, understanding or possibly even a flicker of guilt, but there was nothing. Only blank confusion. So she added, "In front of your house. You were… embracing and kissing." Heather still didn't believe that could be true. But she wouldn't make Astrid sound like a lunatic by reciting her words with an air of doubt. That much Heather owed her.

At first, there was only more confusion on both their faces, mixed with a heavy dose of surprise. Then understanding lightened Cami's eyes, just as Hiccup groaned loudly.

"So it was her after all?" he all but whined. It earned him two pairs of questioning eyes, so he quickly added, "I-I thought I saw a shadow running away, a shadow that looked like Astrid. But I didn't believe it really could be… Thor, but what she saw wasn't… It wasn't what…" He broke off, agitatedly running his fingers through his hair, and Cami continued in his stead.

"He was hugging me goodbye and I gave him a friendly peck on the cheek. That's all."

Heather nodded. She'd expected it would be something like that. But she still had to make sure. "So you're not a couple then? He didn't say how happy you make him and that he can't imagine a life without you?"

"Well," Cami began hesitantly, just as Hiccup groaned again. "He did say something along that line. But let's be honest, aren't those words true for everyone? Without me, all your lives would be so boring." She winked, then went on a little more serious, for her standard, at least. "But no, we're not a couple. He's not exactly my type." She winked again, this time with a more meaningful expression, and Heather would have _loved_ to continue in that direction.

But first, she had to finish this one thing. "So, your type is not the _'I'm making a fool of myself by running through a crowded room without looking left or right'_ -type?"

Cami blinked, then glanced in the direction Heather was looking. Just in time to see Hiccup bolt out of the barn in full speed. "Oh damn," she muttered, then snorted in amusement.

"What?" Heather asked, a little worried. "He's… he's not going to do something stupid, is he?"

Cami gave her a strange look, filled with mischief and fire. "Something stupid? No. But maybe something crazy." Heather cocked her head, so she went on. "He put in a _lot_ of preparation for tonight. I doubt he'll let that go to waste just because of such a misunderstanding."

 **. o O o .**

 **There he goes... xD**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: People always say every comment it a good comment, and that's true to a degree... But still, only _demanding_ more updates without anything else is pretty rude. _Why_ do you want more updates? What are you interested in? How does a story make you feel? Are you happy, laughing, crying, curious, anxious? What are your reactions? We writers need to know, that's what we feed on. xD  
**

 **. o O o .**

 **Chapter 9**

Hiccup wasn't really sure what he was doing. Before he really knew what was happening, he was out of his grandfather's festively decorated barn and heading for his bike. All he knew was that there'd been a stupid misunderstanding, that it was his fault, and that he had to set it right. Because if he'd driven after Astrid last night directly, he probably could have solved this confusion right away.

"Oh, Thor, dammit!" he cursed as his stupid leg made him stumble and fall in his haste. He got up as fast as he could, cursing again at the dust that now covered his elegant jacket and shirt, but couldn't help it. All he knew was that he…

What? What did he need to do? He needed to solve this misunderstanding, that much was clear. But only now did it dawn on him that, to do so, he had to actually go to her. _Talk_ to her. And he had to do that now, when she was probably close to hating him, if he'd understood Heather correctly.

 _Gods!_

The thought made him pause, just as he was about to put on his helmet. Could he really do that? He was hardly able to get out a coherent sentence in her presence when she was in a _good_ mood. _How_ on Midgard should he explain himself when she wouldn't even _want_ to listen? But he didn't really have a choice, did he?

He liked Astrid, _really_ liked her. He didn't want to waste this chance to maybe become more than her friend. Plus, she was hurt and angry right now, because of _him_ , and he couldn't sit back and do nothing. No, he had no choice at all. He _had_ to explain, and dodging that conversation now to wait for her to be in a better mood again wouldn't do him any good.

With a resolute motion, Hiccup put his helmet on and was on the street only a few moments later. It was all or nothing now. Either he could solve this misunderstanding… or he would never again get another chance.

His determination lasted exactly until he'd parked his bike in the driveway of her uncle's house and rang the doorbell.

"Hello?"

He was greeted by a broad man that, had Hiccup not been used to people of this size by his father and honorary uncle, might have intimidated him enough to make run for it after all...

"Good evening, Mr Hofferson," Hiccup greeted the man with as firm a voice as he could muster. "I-I'm here to speak to Astrid. If that's acceptable?"

The man scrutinised him quite thoroughly, the biker leather, the dusty jacket, and the wild hair that even his helmet hadn't been able to tame. "And you are… who? Because I'm not sure she wants to see anyone right now."

"I'm Hic- Henry Haddock. And I…" he gulped, then went on. "I think I'm the reason why she's upset."

That _probably_ hadn't been the wisest thing to say. Finn Hofferson's face darkened. He was about to shut the door in Hiccup's face, but he quickly lifted his hands in a pleading gesture.

"Please, Sir, it's been a misunderstanding! She got the wrong impression and I'm here to rectify that. Please, let me talk to her."

The man paused, grumbled something unintelligible, and then opened the door again. "All right," he muttered. "But if she doesn't want to see you, I'll happily throw you out directly. _Literally."_

Hiccup gulped and nodded. He had no doubts that this was no empty threat, and prayed that Astrid would at least give him a _chance_.

He was lead up a flight of stairs where he was made to wait as the man knocked on a door. "Astrid? There's someone else here to talk to you. Do you want me to throw him out?"

Hiccup gulped, despairing a little at the prospect of not even getting the chance to see her, much less talk to her. If she refused to talk to him now, then…

"It's okay," her muffled voice sounded through the door. "Send him in."

Hiccup exhaled a sigh of relief which earned him another dark look.

"If she cries again, I _will_ throw you out," the man repeated. "Do you understand?"

Hiccup gulped again and nodded. "I understand." He quickly walked past the man toward the door, trying not to be intimidated by his glare. Or by the fact that he was actually about to see _Astrid's bedroom_.

Low music was coming from somewhere, which immediately gave the room a very Astrid-like feeling, and under different circumstances, Hiccup would have found the slightly chaotic state it was in endearing. He could see that it was usually a neatly arranged room, one wall occupied by all things related to archery, another by things related to music including a fancy stereo and a hook that clearly was meant to hold her guitar, while the third wall was ruled by a tidy desk and shelves full of books and folders. But right now, the bin beneath the desk was overflowing with tissues, with a few stray pieces still on her bedside table, beneath her bed, and in the corner by one of the windows. The blankets on her bed were slightly crumpled, clearly only made in a haste, and her guitar leant precariously against the wall next to her bed. Indeed, seeing this room, such a personal part of her, in less then her usual flawless state could have been endearing – if he hadn't known that he was to blame.

For a second or three, Hiccup only stood mutely, stunned, and gazed at her where she stood near one of the two big windows. Her arms were crossed in front of her, her body mostly turned away from him so that he could barely see her profile, much less the expression on her face. "Th-thank you for hearing me out," he eventually began, unsure how to start. Odin, he should have thought about what to say to her _before_ he came here!

"You can thank Heather for that," she replied in a monotone voice, and nodded toward her phone lying on her desk. "She texted me and told me you were coming. Begged me to at least listen."

Hiccup swallowed, and made a mental note to thank Heather in some way. Without her, Mr Hofferson would probably have thrown him out after all.

"But apparently, you have nothing to say," she eventually commented, sounding resigned. "Figures."

"I'm sorry!" Hiccup finally blurted out. It was the first thing that came to his mind. She was miserable, because of him, and he hadn't wanted that.

But for some reason, that hadn't been what she wanted to hear.

"You're _sorry?"_ she enquired, incredulously. She finally turned to look at him, but Hiccup almost wished she hadn't.

Her sight hit him harder than her absence at the college earlier or Heather's announcement that she wouldn't come to the dance. Coming up with all kinds of explanations for why she might have changed her mind had been jarring. But seeing her like this, face swollen and eyes red from hours of crying, crying _over him_ , was so much worse.

"Yes, I'm sorry," he muttered. He lifted his shoulders in a fruitless attempt to explain himself with gestures. If one was talking about engines, that sometimes made things easier.

Right now though? Not so much…

"I mean… I know what you saw – what you _think_ you saw. And it wasn't… It wasn't what it–"

"–what it looked like?" she interrupted him bitterly. "Oh please…" She turned away again, her shoulders tensing.

Hiccup bit his lip and uncomfortably rubbed the back of his neck. He knew that this was his last and only chance, the one opportunity to maybe become more than her friend. He couldn't screw up, not now. So he decided to gather all his courage, took a deep breath, and started anew, as confident and coherent as he could muster.

 **. o O o .**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Thank you for lovely comments! :) Really, from the bottom of my heart. (Except the one who thought they were funny *sigh* grow up ;) )  
**

 **. o O o .**

 **Chaper 10**

Astrid felt torn. Ever since Heather's message had reached her about fifteen minutes ago, she didn't know what to think anymore.

On the one hand, she was angry. How _dare_ he? How dare he come here and try to make those petty excuses? _'It wasn't what it looked like'?_ Oh, sure. The image of him and Cami entangled in each other's arms seemed to be etched into the back of her eyelids by now. And if that was _not_ what it looked like, then why was he apologising? No, she couldn't believe him that easily, not after this day of crying and heartbreak. Not with feeling so raw inside.

Oh, but she _wanted_ to believe him! In fact, there was little she wanted _more_ right now. Which was why she hadn't let her uncle throw him out again. Which was why she'd even tidied up her room in a hurry — as best she could, at least. She wanted to believe every word he said, wanted to revive her hope that she hadn't been a complete idiot for the last two years. She wanted to wrap herself into the comfort of his voice and his words, even as it sounded a little off, too smooth. Not quite like him.

"…and Heather told us what you said you saw. But it _really_ wasn't what it looked like. I hugged Cami, that's true, but only as a friendly gesture to thank her because… because she helped me a lot. That's also what I meant by what you probably heard me saying. She spent the entire weekend teaching me, and—"

"—and then she kissed you?" Astrid interrupted him, her voice weary and tired. No matter how he tried to explain everything else away, this fact remained.

Hiccup's shoulder slumped. "She… yes, but… but it was only a peck on the cheek," he tried to explain himself. "Just a friendly gesture and nothing more. She's not my girlfriend or anything, we're not a couple, never have been. Believe me, _if_ I had a girlfriend, I wouldn't have accepted your invitation to a dat— to the dance."

Chewing her lip, Astrid averted her eyes. Gods, how much she wanted to believe him… But his words didn't really fit to what she remembered. She clearly remembered them wrapped around each other and… and… She halted, frowning. Had she _really_ seen them kissing? Or was that just an image her mind had made up on its own with the picture of their embrace and the kissing noise. She wasn't sure anymore. Gods, she _really_ wanted to believe him — but feared she wanted it too much to be reasonable. So instead, she tried to be logical, tried to analyse what he'd said.

"What did you do then when you spent all weekend together but are not a couple?" she asked quietly, trying to hold on to _something_. It was a stupid question. They were friends, and she'd certainly spend all weekend with Heather too. But there was still something… "What did she _teach_ you?" New images rose in her mind, images she certainly liked even less than that of them kissing in front of Cami's house. It wasn't her business with who Hiccup slept, if he and Cami were _friends with benefits_ , or whatever he called it, but she certainly didn't need to like imagining it.

Hiccup frowned, then his eyes widen. "Uh, no!" he backpedalled, shaking his head and his arms alike. "No, not what you think, it was… was…" He trailed off, a fierce blush spreading across his face, and he shifted his weight from one leg to the other and back again. Weirdly enough, the sight somewhat calmed Astrid. This seemed more like the Hiccup she was used to, shy and a little awkward. _Real._ He let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "She… taught me how to dance."

Astrid sucked in a surprised breath, but didn't get the chance to say anything.

"Last week, when you asked me," he went on without a pause, seemingly focused on getting everything out as long as she listened. "I was so… so _happy_. It was like a dream come true. But I didn't want to embarrass you by showing up with a limping fishbone as your partner. So I asked Cami to teach me how to dance, so that you wouldn't need to regret asking me right away. Because… well, I guess I was hoping yo-you might agree on going out again. Because I-I like you!"

 **. o O o .**

There, he'd said it…

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime of admiring her as simply her friend, he'd said it. Unable to look at her, he waited for her reaction, eyes closed and head dropped. He didn't want to see surprise, pity, or disbelieve on her face. But there was no reaction at all, and that was even worse.

So he'd screwed up after all. He'd told her what he felt for her, but it was too late. Or maybe there'd never been a real chance anyway. Maybe she accepted his explanation as she hadn't objected anymore, but that apparently didn't mean that she wanted to have anything to do with him. Maybe she hadn't wanted that anyway. Truth be told, he didn't understand why she'd been interested in the first place anyway. She was so gorgeous, smart, kind, and talented, while he was just… just an awkward cripple who ruined everything.

Sighing, he turned away from her. He ought to leave. He'd tried and failed. Well, tough. Life would go on. He would get over her.

Eventually...

Probably…

But then she reacted after all. "I'm sorry," she whispered, so low that Hiccup wasn't sure whether he'd understood her correctly, but it made him pause nonetheless. Even though he shouldn't. He didn't want her apology. He should just leave. But instead, he stood still and listened.

"I'm sorry for… for reacting so…" She paused, then started anew. "I overreacted when all you did was… and I should have known better. I _know_ you're an honest person. That's part of why…why I like you so much. I mean, you only tried to… and I thought you… I've been so stupid, and I'm sorry!"

Dazed, he turned toward her after all, and found her standing in the middle of the room now. She looked timid, with her arms tightly wrapped around herself. Remorseful even. And even puzzled as he was, his quick mind raced through what she'd just said, filled in the gaps as best he could. It wasn't hard, simply acknowledging the misunderstanding, that she understood now. But even more important...

 _…why I like you so much_

Had she really said that? Did she _mean_ it like that? Or did she mean something else? Could she mean what he _hoped_ she meant?

Once more, he looked at her, intently, analysing what he saw. She was wearing jogging trousers and a loose-fitting shirt, comfortable and not meant for going out. Her hair was a dishevelled mess, probably not tended to all day, and her red-rimmed eyes, cast to the side, were glassy as if close to tears. As if her usual cheerful and confident front had crumpled. She looked incredibly vulnerable, hurt, yet still so beautiful. She had made a few steps toward him, but hadn't crossed the whole distance. As if her courage had left her in between? That was a stupid thought. Unless…

In the background, the low music changed to a new song. Hiccup's mind was racing, interpreting what he saw — and he made a decision. A crazy one maybe, but he didn't care. This was his only chance.

Taking a deep breath, he scrambled up every bit of courage he could find — and made a hesitant step in her direction.

 **. o O o .**

Astrid felt incredibly raw inside. This whole day of tears and pain had been her own fault, her own foolishness. If she hadn't reacted so stupidly, if she'd simply trusted in Hiccup's honesty, or had confronted him last night right away, this day could have been just as happy as she'd hoped it would be. But now, she'd ruined it.

He hadn't even said anything anymore. She'd apologised, had even blurted out that she liked him, but he hadn't deemed it necessary to reply in any way. She'd wanted to go to him, but the prospect was daunting. She didn't even know what to feel or think anymore.

But when she looked up again, he suddenly stood right in front of her. He had one hand raised, holding it out for her, just as if—

"May I ask for this dance?"

Astrid gaped at him, wide-eyed, too stunned to really comprehend. Luckily, her body reacted even as her mind was too slow for that. She made a strange sound, something between a sob and laughter, nodded, and laid her hand in his. Ever so gently, he pulled her closer, looking incredibly concentrated as he placed one hand on her lower back, and a moment later, they were swaying in time with the low music.

With a weak chuckle, she dropped her forehead against his shoulder. This was ridiculous, silly, absurd. Who danced in a bedroom, wearing jogging trousers and no shoes? But it didn't _feel_ silly. It felt just _right_.

And it wasn't much of a dance anyway, not really. Just slowly swaying and turning as their arms left their designated positions, winding around necks and waists until they ended up in a comfortable embrace. One that Astrid didn't want to leave again. Ever. Not even as the song ended and her stereo switched to another song on her playlist. They danced through another song, if what they did could be called dancing, before she finally found her voice again.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled against his shoulder, and went on when he gave a confused grunt. "For overreacting and ruining the spring dance for you. If I'd just…" she trailed off, shrugging awkwardly. Damn, she wasn't used to feeling this insecure. But Hiccup didn't seem to mind.

He laughed, shakily and a little embarrassed, before he replied, "I don't mind. Actually, this just now was the best dance of my life anyway."

Chuckling, Astrid retreated a little to look up at him, giving him a shy smile.

He gave her a similar look, cheeks flushing endearingly. "Although… We could still go?" he added. "If you want to, I mean. It's not _that_ late, there might even still be some food left."

The mentioning of food reminded her that she hadn't really eaten anything today — and let her stomach rumble, which made her chuckle again, if a little self-consciously. "I… I don't know. I look horrible. My face, my hair, and I haven't even showered, and—"

"I think you look beautiful," he interrupted her, his voice entirely matter-of-fact and sincere. Then his blush intensified, and he hastily added, "Besides, next to me, you'd always look like a film star anyway." He indicated toward his jacket and shirt, stained by dust and dirt as she only now noticed.

Thinking for a moment, she nodded. "I… I think I'd like to go," she eventually muttered. Maybe this day wasn't entirely lost after all. And the image of her and Hiccup dancing for real and having a fun night out was _very_ alluring. "That is… if you give me ten minutes to get myself in order?"

Beaming, Hiccup agreed. It took her a moment to convince her uncle to leave Hiccup unharmed as he waited downstairs while she took a quick shower and hurried to get herself presentable. She'd meant to braid her hair into a cute hairstyle she'd picked out over the weekend, but now, her usual simple plait would have to do. At least she could wear her new dress after all. After adding a discrete layer of eyeshadow and mascara, she decided that her look would have to do, and headed downstairs.

It was amusing to see Finn standing in the doorway to his living room with his arms crossed in front of him and with Hiccup standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. But when Hiccup's eyes landed on her and she saw his awestruck expression, she didn't feel like laughing anymore.

His eyes went wide and his lips parted in surprise, lips Astrid, in all honesty, couldn't wait to taste. But that wasn't a thought for now, not with her uncle eyeing her with that weird smirk.

"Guess I'm not needed here anymore," he grumbled. "Hope you're having a fun night, lass." He winked, then turned and left them alone.

"You look beautiful," Hiccup finally gasped, lips twitching into a wide grin. "I still can't believe this is really happening…"

The last words were barely more than a whisper, but Astrid heard them anyway. Smiling a little shyly as she often felt around Hiccup, she reached for his hand and carded her fingers through his. "It is," she murmured, peeking up at him through her lashes, reassuringly even though she sympathised all too well. She could hardly believe it either.

With his hand still wrapped around hers, they left through the front door. Astrid wasn't sure what she'd expected, but only when she saw Hiccup's black bike parked in her uncle's driveway did she realise that, of course, he'd not come here with a car. She would ride on his bike. The thought made her heartbeat quicken, and her hand around his involuntarily tightened.

"Everything okay?;" he asked, a little worried, and let his eyes follow hers. "Oh. Does… does it bother you to ride on my bike? I… maybe I could call Cami to pick us up, or—"

"No, it's fine," she assured him, biting her lip. "I… would like to ride with you on your bike." She firmly walked the rest of the way, studiously ignoring the heat in her cheeks.

His hands trembled slightly as he fished for his key and opened the small compartment that held a spare helmet. But before he pulled it out and handed it to her, he suddenly stopped mid-movement and groaned.

"I'm an idiot," he muttered, head dropping before he looked up and at her again. "I'm sorry! With… with all that chaos just now, I didn't think about that anymore, and I… I didn't mean to forget. I just…"

Not understanding what he tried to say, Astrid shook her head in bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"

He gave her a sheepish smile, and pulled a small box out of the compartment, wrapped in golden glittery wrapping paper and decorated with a deep blue, flower-shaped bow.

"Happy Birthday!"

 **. o O o .**

 **So... that was the longest chapter of the entire story... I think... I hope it was to your liking! :) We're not quite through yet, there's one more to come. Soon ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**_HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody!_ **

**Here now, the last chapter of this silly little rom-com-story. Have fun :)**

 **. o O o .**

Just as Hiccup had hoped, the dance was still in full swing when they arrived at his grandfather's old barn. Sure, they were late to the party, but they weren't _too_ late. Actually, he considered their arrival to be perfectly timed. Not so late that their appearance would be overly noticeable in an already mostly empty barn, but also not so early that everyone was sober and paying attention to the rather unexpected combination.

Because, surely, they made an odd pair. He looked just like his usual lanky self, too long and thin, limping slightly, his hair in its usual mess, and with clothes that _had_ looked fine earlier, but were dusty and, after repeatedly riding his bike, wind-blown and quite untidy-looking. And then there was Astrid, beautiful as ever in that deep blue dress that hugged her curves perfectly, her golden hair in a simple yet elegant braid that was hanging over her shoulder and hadn't really suffered from wearing a helmet. And with his bracelet on her arm.

Sure, probably nobody but him really noticed that one, but it still meant a lot to him. Yeah, maybe getting her such a piece of jewellery as a birthday present had been a little too much considering that they'd been _just_ friends this morning and he didn't know how or where they would end up, relationship-vice. But he'd still bought it. Or rather, composed it. It was a simple gold chain with a couple of charms that weren't dangling off the sides but were linked into the chain directly. One was a minuscule guitar, the other a stylised bow and arrow, and the third a blue crystal, surely no valuable stone but matching Astrid's eye colour perfectly. And she'd liked it. Had even thrown her arms around his neck to hug him and kiss his cheek in her joy.

His skin where her lips had touched them was still tingling.

As was his hand that was holding hers as they entered the main dance room and looked around for their friends. Eret and Dagur were the first to notice them, nearly identical grins spreading across their faces as they spotted them. Eret was handing Dagur a note as they came over, and a small part of Hiccup worried what exactly had been the wording of their bet this time.

"So, you made it after all," Eret greeted them with a smirk. "Didn't think you'd still show up here."

"Oh, shut up, Eret," Astrid rolled her eyes good-humouredly. They were still slightly red Hiccup knew, but in the dim light in here that was barely noticeable.

He looked around the room as Astrid swatted off more teasing comments by Eret and Dagur, knowing that she was well able to handle those. He spotted Tuff at one table at the side of the room, dancing the chicken dance _on top_ of it with a cheering crowd around him, and he also saw Ruff pulling Scott into their direction. But those were _all_ of their friends he spotted. Sure, he hadn't expected to see Justin here — but where were Heather and Cami? He owed them both hugely.

"So, you made it after all," Ruff cheered as she reached them, using the exact same words Eret had used too. "We were taking bets, you know? I said you'd still come here and not directly jump into bed with each other."

Oh, so _that_ had been their bet? Hiccup inwardly applauded their confidence, even as his ears turned a burning red. Not… that he _hadn't_ thought in that direction… But that definitely wasn't his goal tonight. He wanted to _be_ with Astrid, and not simply get laid.

"You guys are horrible," Astrid snorted. If this topic affected her in any way, she didn't let it show. Instead, she now looked around too, and frowned. "Where's Heather? I need to punch her. And then thank her."

Eret and Dagur shared another grin, just as Ruff began to cackle. "Oh, that was another bet," she snickered. "As cute as you two are and as glad as we are that you finally made it, you weren't the only ones pining mutually. Although, I don't think Cami was actually pining for _that_ long. Subtlety isn't really her thing..."

Astrid seemed genuinely baffled as she looked from one to the other. "Cami and… and _Heather?_ Really?" Her eyes met Hiccup's, but he just shrugged. That didn't come as _that_ much of a surprise for him. Ruff was right, after all; by no means could anyone call Cami _subtle_.

"Yep, really," Dagur chirped, clearly approving of his sister's choice. "After Hic bolted out of here like a madman, Cami didn't really waste much time."

"No, certainly not," Ruff agreed. "They left not much later, after Scott here—" she indicated toward a very drunk Scott who didn't seem to register much of his surroundings anymore, "—commented on how their behaviour wasn't very public-friendly and that he quite liked the show."

"I…" Astrid began, obviously still a little stunned by this revelation. She peeked up at Hiccup, cheeks burning. "That makes my incorrect assumption all the more stupid, right?" She asked sheepishly. Judging by the looks they got from everyone around, they had no idea what she was talking about, but Hiccup thought it best not to dwell on it anyway.

"Doesn't really matter anymore," he said, shrugging, which earned him a grateful smile from the blond Valkyrie who still held his hand. Even now, he still could hardly grasp how that had happened.

"Okay… how about we see what's left of the food? Because I'm pretty hungry, and I don't think I want to stop dancing once we started."

Hiccup nodded at her suggestion. It sounded like an _excellent_ plan.

 **. o O o .**

Hours later, Hiccup _still_ could hardly comprehend how he'd ended up here, holding Astrid in his arms and swaying with her in time with the last chords of the music. They _had_ danced properly earlier in the night, so Cami's lessons and the whole misunderstanding hadn't been for nothing. But by now, her head rested comfortably on his shoulder, his cheek on her hair, and their arms were wrapped around each other's bodies as they simply enjoyed their closeness.

His leg was aching after being up and about nearly all day, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything, didn't care, accepted the pain gladly as stopping to dance would properly mean to leave and say goodbye. Because no matter how many insinuating comments their friends had made over the course of the night, he didn't intend to _spend the night_ with her. What he wanted was a proper relationship with the girl of his dreams, and he wouldn't rush and ruin it.

But eventually, the night had to come to an end. Eret and Dagur were long gone already, and Ruff and Tuff had dragged a pretty much knocked out Scott toward a taxi, discussing what weird story they were going to tell him in the morning or whether simply drawing stuff onto his face with a permanent marker was enough fun already. Both he and Astrid chuckled at their ideas, then she threw him a regretful smile.

"I think we ought to leave too," she said, eyes cast to her other hand resting on his chest. "Will you drive me back home, or should I see whether I can catch a taxi? It's… not exactly on your way."

Hiccup took her comment as the subtle hint that it was, driving her home, but not staying. He nodded. "Of course I'll drive you home."

Once back at her uncle's house, he stowed away the spare helmet back into its compartment, then simply placed his own on the seat as he escorted her to the door. She definitely noticed it, threw him a smile, then once again took his hand and leaned against him for the short walk toward the entrance door. When they reached it, she hesitated for a second, then quickly stretched and placed a peck on his cheek. "Thank you."

Slightly stunned by the renewed and _very_ welcome contact, Hiccup could barely do anything but grin like a lunatic. "What for?" he asked. If anything, _he_ was the one who ought to thank _her_ , after all. For making this dream come true.

"For not giving up, even when I was such an idiot and didn't even bother to call our date off. For explaining, for putting up with me, for making this day so wonderful after all, for…" she trailed off, biting her lip as she glanced up at him. All of a sudden, her gaze was weirdly intense. There was a fire in them that made Hiccup's breath hitch. But before he could react in any way, she reached for the collar of his shirt and hauled him down to kiss him once more.

On the lips.

With her hands buried in his hair.

With a low groan, he gave in to her demanding mouth, her tongue stroking his before he could even comprehend what was happening. His hands curled around her waist and back on reflex, pulling her closer as their kiss intensified. Her low moan could more be felt than heard, rumbling through both their bodies, the screech of an owl in one of the nearby trees the only noise as they thoroughly explored each other's mouths.

When they parted, Hiccup was dizzy with lack of oxygen and his head filled with _her_. Slowly, he opened his eyes again to look at her, the gleam in her eyes even visible in the near darkness of the night.

"And that was for everything else," she murmured, oddly shyly smiling up at him.

"I… I could get used to that," he muttered stupidly, but she didn't seem to mind, her smile growing a few shades brighter.

"Good night, Hiccup," she whispered, and stepped away from him, slowly yet far too soon.

"Good night, Astrid," he replied. "See you soon."

Once again, she flashed him a brilliant smile before the door eventually closed behind her. Hiccup took a moment to gaze at where she'd disappeared, then return to his bike.

On his way back home, he felt lighter than ever before, and once he lay in his bed, he contemplated for a moment to text his friends, to thank them. Cami for her incredible help, and Justin for convincing him to _ask_ for that help in the first place. But Justin would be long asleep, and Cami… Well, Cami surely was otherwise occupied too.

Chuckling quietly to himself, he let himself drift off into slumber, looking forward to seeing Astrid again soon, as _more_ than just a friend now, and dreaming about a future with her at his side.

 **. o O o .**

 **There, it's done. :) I hope you enjoyed this silly little story, I certainly enjoyed writing it.**

 **But now, here's a question: There's one epilogue to this story, but it's not completely written yet. The question is now: Should I leave it a T-rated epilogue? Or should I post the epilogue separately in 'The Missing Scenes', my collection of smut outtakes? Or do two versions and do both? What would you prefer?**

 **Anyway, I'd be very grateful for feedback ;)**


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